Google Catches Up to Apple with 700,000 Android Apps

Google's Android platform is no longer playing second fiddle to Apple's iOS ecosystem in terms of available applications. The two share center stage, having both strung together a symphony of 700,000 apps each, which is music to any mobile user's ears (except for maybe those invested in Microsoft's Windows Phone platform).

Bloomberg first reported the claim, which hasn't yet been bragged about in a press release or by a Google official on Google+, and since then other outlets are claiming to have confirmed the news with the sultan of search. This is a big deal for Google, and it takes away one of the advantages Apple was still clinging to.

Speaking of Apple, the Cupertino outfit recently announced that its App Store contains 700,000 apps, and then brought it up again during the iPad mini press event last week. For the sake of comparison, Microsoft recently stated that its Windows Phone platform is home to 120,000 apps.

By matching the number of apps in Apple's App Store, Google is now in better position to sway users over to Android, though it may be hard to convince iOS device owners to jump ship if they've already heavily invested in that ecosystem. For new owners, however, Google is being aggressive in its pursuit of the mobile market, having just announced a $399 Nexus 10 tablet, increased the storage on its Nexus 7 tablet, and unveiled a new Nexus 4 smartphone.